What do you guys think about the last announcement of a 25% refund to hosts on the lost income?

[Luana130]

So, I just got this email form airbnb, saying that they will refund 25% of the lost reservations to hosts (for reservations between Mar 14 and May 31). I can't help but think it is too little too late. What about the reservations they cancelled before that.

And the bit about them saying they regret making the decision to refund the guests without consulting or informing the hosts before making the ancellations? 

What are your thought about that? I think they had no idea the hosts were going to react so badly, and are trying to save their image with the hosts, but to be honest I think it will take a long time for hosts to trust airbnb again.

[Nanxing0]

I guess we simply need to make a record of the cancelled reservations and ask Airbnb for money if they fail to refund the 25% for some of them. I highly suspect that some of the reservations that the guests cancelled using normal procedure and asked for refund in resolution center, or we processed the refund in resolution center, will not be tracked by this system and we need to manually ask them for the 25%. 

At least they are doing something, you can't blame too much. It seems to me Brian shows some regret for the previous decision. The 25% is from their own pocket after all. Keep in mind if Airbnb goes down we will all suffer. That's not something you want to see as well.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

Honestly, I've never really trusted Airbnb. Based on all the horror stories I've heard, the way they handled the cancellations and refunds based on covid-19 EC is sort of exactly what I'd expect Airbnb to do. I'm actually pretty surprised about the 25% refund to hosts.... and will only believe it when I see it.  

FYI, I had no bookings for 1st half of this year because Henry and I were going to take a break from hosting to do some travelling ourselves. So as hosts, we were not impacted at all from the covid-19 EC, but I still think the way it was announced and the way cancellations were handled by Airbnb says a lot about them as a company and their corporate values. 

Even after all this is over I will probably continue to host thru Airbnb because for now, it's still the best platform for a home-share host like myself, but I have no delusions about what they are capable of and how they treat hosts. Actions speak louder than words. 

[Nanxing0]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 The problem is not within the specific decision they made, but the way they made the decision and the party that makes the decision. Every decision has its pros and cons. They need to find a balance between them. As a platform they can't simply assume guests are their customer but hosts are not. 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Nanxing0 

I never said I had a problem with a decision they made. Not sure what you're getting at and I don't need you to mansplain my own thoughts and opinion back to me. 

And are you now claiming hosts are Airbnb customers (rather than partners - like a lot of people keep saying)? Pick a side and stay on it please. 

Personally, I've never thought of being a host on Airbnb as anything but being an independent service provider (of a STR private room) that happens to use the Airbnb platform to attract guests and handle payment for which I pay a 3% service fee from whatever bookings I secure thru the Airbnb platform. Fact is, as a host user, I'm not a partner or customer - I'm just a platform user that pays a fee. 

It's a bit fascinating to see how many people have fallen for Airbnb's "We're a community and you are our partners" hype. It's like companies telling employees "We're a family and we take care of you" then when the company suddenly announces a 20% manpower reduction plan employees are outraged because you don't treat family like this. 

[Nanxing0]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 I'm not saying you had problem with their decision, but that their decision was flawed although you didn't have problem with that.

Customers and partners are essentially similar in terms of treatment. You can't treat your customers like god while trash your partners like you don't care. 

If it's an independent service provider, then the service contract between us and Airbnb should be followed precisely, not the way that Airbnb can make any change the way they want. That's not how independent service provider work. If Airbnb makes decision for us, then it's not simply a platform that connects hosts with guests, but also acting as an arbitrator. In this sense, it's not simply a partnership or customership either. 

If the company tells employees at the end of the month "OK we are short on funds so salary will not be distributed for this past month", guess what's going to happen then. 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Nanxing0 

Like I said, I don't need you to tell me what and what not I had/have a problem with.

Seriously.... just stop it. 

We're not Airbnb employees and the service contract between us and Airbnb always had an extenuating circumstances clause that Airbnb has been FAMOUS for taking advantage of. Never said I thought this is right. Never said I didn't have a problem with this. 

So lets agree to disagree on whatever YOU think we don't see eye to eye on and leave it at that. Stop with the mansplaining and move on. 

[Marianne25]

@Jessica-and-Henry0  re: your first paragraph: Plus, they've never used the "deposit" they supposedly take to help me cover damages when I've reported them. They seem to always side with the guest. Hence, I'll never take a guest again without stellar reviews.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Marianne25 

The Airbnb deposit isn't really even a real deposit. In the end it's up to the host to vet potential guests, make sure house rules are communicated very very clearly and make sure the guest complies.... vetting guests may include checking past reviews but my experience is..... that is not a foolproof method. 

[Marianne25]

My city is NOT ALLOWING guests, so I have to DECLINE every reservation that comes in. BUT I'm keeping my listing active for the future, when this is all over. They don't offer any help for those losses. I've turned down 4 reservations in the past week totaling over $1200 in losses. Will they help with that? Who uses VRBO and what do you think of them? Apparently, they offer their guests travel insurance, which Airbnb does not. So, when they cancel using their insurance, they get all their money back and we would keep something, I think.